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Illawarra’s rags-to-riches fairytale stays alive after they conjured an exhilarating 113-108 extra time win over Melbourne United in sport two to stage their NBL play-off sequence 1-1.
Gary Clark (31 factors, 16 rebounds), Tyler Harvey (23 factors), Sam Froling (19 factors, 13 boards) and Will “Davo” Hickey (career-high 18 factors) performed starring roles to pull the Hawks, final yr’s picket spooners, to inside one victory of a shock championship sequence berth.
Earlier than a sell-out WIN Leisure Centre crowd, the unsung Hickey’s large offensive rebound and putback on the fulltime siren, after Clark’s powerful left-handed miss, levelled the scores at 97-all and compelled the extension.
Illawarra then ran away with the match, outshining Melbourne 16-11 in extra time.
“We would not be sitting right here with a smile on our face if it wasn’t for this younger man (Hickey),” beamed Hawks coach Justin Tatum, celebrating his forty fifth birthday in fashion.
“Our composure in the direction of the top of the fourth quarter and in extra time was distinctive.”
Sport one hero Matthew Dellavedova (20 factors, eight assists) was once more excellent for United, aided by centre Jo Lual-Acuil (18 factors) and sixth man Ian Clark (17).
However the guests, who dominated extra time of their series-opening dwelling win on Friday, did not have the solutions this time.
Melbourne managed proceedings initially, leaping forward 6-0 then 15-6, with Lual-Acuil aggressive within the paint, as United out-rebounded Illawarra 15-5 en path to a 25-19 quarter-time break.
Gary Clark, the one Hawk to fireplace early in that opening time period, had some assist in the second quarter from fellow import Harvey and play-off shock packet Hickey as the house facet hit again to edge forward 50-49 at half-time.
The lead modified arms 14 instances in a frenetic, end-to-end third interval, on the finish of which Melbourne led 75-73 on Shea Ili’s late triple.
Dellavedova’s powerful drive contained in the final 30 seconds of regulation gave United a three-point lead, which Harvey’s floater sliced to 1.
Chris Goulding’s uncharacteristic missed free throw paved the way in which for Hickey’s buzzer-beating heroics.
Botched foul pictures continued to hang-out Melbourne in OT, wherein Clark and Froling dominated inside and Hickey continued to thrive at each ends.
“We did a whole lot of issues effectively,” United coach Dean Vickerman mentioned.
“However we have got to start out capturing over 70 per cent from the foul line.”
The series-deciding sport three is at Melbourne’s John Cain Enviornment on Wednesday.
In different information, the Tasmania JackJumpers might be with out Marcus Lee for his or her must-win sport two towards the Perth Wildcats at dwelling on Monday night time after the membership reluctantly accepted a one-match suspension on the massive man.
The NBL sport assessment panel initially issued Lee with a two-match sanction for an unsportsmanlike foul on Wildcats import Jordan Usher in sport one on Friday night time.
The ban for the incident which was deemed to be intentional, medium impression and excessive contact was reduce to 1 match with an early responsible plea.
The Wildcats had lodged a criticism with the NBL over the matter.
Perth gained the sequence opener 89-81 in Perth.
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